Zach has had many accomplishments on the course, including being a leading scorer on the varsity team.  Zach has had success through the TGA Junior Tour as well.  He was 1^st place in the TGA Junior Tour at McCabe and 1^st Place in the TGA Junior Tour at Ted Rhodes.  He placed 2^nd in the TGA Junior Tour Championship.   He was 1^st in the Clarksville Junior Golf Tour at Cole Park.  He won the “On the Rise Award” in 2010.  During his Junior and Senior years Zach qualified for the Regional Tournament.

Zach is the son of Brent & Karen Nussbaumer of Clarksville & the grandson of David & Bette Nussbaumer & Bette Hagan.

Photo Information (left to right) – Kelsey, Brent, Zach & Karen Nussbaumer on signing day.

Clarksville’s Downtown Kiwanis Club honored 12 middle and high school students on Tuesday for Veterans Day essays they submitted for this year’s “Interview a Veteran” contest.

However, in terms of educational value, there were many more winners than that among the 616 students who participated area-wide.

Contest judge Debbie McGaha-Bratton said that the yearly event is more than an eye-opening experience for many of the participants — often, it is a life-changing experience.

Many students opt to interview family members with military experience, little realizing how amazing that experience often is. Likewise, the interview situation may be the first time that the family member has spoken openly to the student about life-shaping events.

Even for those students who interview outside of their families, the experience often becomes something much more meaningful than the student anticipated.

At Tuesday’s luncheon, besides the members of the Kiwanis and the students, there were also many veteran interviewees present, as well as educators and other family members there to listen as the authors of the winning essays read portions of their work aloud.

Mostly, what the essays conveyed was a connection to something beyond the textbook descriptions of war and of military life.

The stories mostly centered around ordinary individuals who found themselves in extraordinary events and who never considered themselves to be heroes, although it was apparent in the words of the essays that the students thought otherwise.

Clarksville High School student Autumn Brown was both a Grand Prize Winner and the winner of “most inspirational” essay for a piece she wrote about an incredible Special Forces soldier, Chief Warrant Officer Scott A. Schroeder, who lost both legs in war but not his spirit to go on and rebuild his life.

Clarksville Academy eighth-grade student Grace Hinson was a Grand Prize winner for an essay that captured the sacrifice and love of country of her grandfather, who fought in Korea.

The essay contest, now in its 11th year, is part of a Kiwanis effort called the “Memories of Service and Sacrifice Project,” which also has produced two “Faces of Valor” booklets honoring the more than 200 years of service of Clarksville/Montgomery County veterans.

Philip Grey, 245-0719
Military affairs reporter
philipgrey@theleaf_chronicle.com

Blake has had many accomplishments on the field, including being a starting shortstop on the varsity team for four years.  During his 2011 season, Blake was named to The Leaf Chronicle’s 1^st team All Area, named CA’s Most Valuable Player, he was also named to All District Teams in 2010 & 2011 as well as All Area Team in 2010 & 2011.

The Cougars were District Champions in ’09, ’10 and ’11 and competed in the Regional Tournament each of those years.  Blake has also competed in travel ball with the Impact Adidas team in 2009-2010 and with the Nashville Knights in 2010-2011.  Blake will join Faulkner in August.

Blake is the son of Robb & Brittney Rowlett of Clarksville & Dina Fowler also of Clarksville, TN.  He is the grandson of Jim & Vicki Rowlett of Paris, Steve & Brenda Brannan of Birmingham, AL and Clayton & Anita Sikes of Springfield, TN.

Photo Caption: Front Row: Brittney & Robb Rowlett, Blake Rowlett, Dina Fowler, Matt Wallace Athletic Director & Kay Drew Head of Schools.  Back Row: Jake Peterson Assistant Baseball Coach, Wade Smith Head Baseball Coach, Patrick McCarthy Faulkner University Baseball Coach, & Todd Schmittou Assistant Baseball Coach.

Photo Credits: Sheila Ragsdale

On Friday, September 23 her CA Cougar family wanted to show their support of her in the State Tournament.  During morning assembly, AnnaMichelle was called to center court and while Principal Mike Marciano wished her luck and lots of Birdie’s (a top score in golf), the 7^th-12^th grade student body tossed 250 golf ball birdies at Moore.  Head of Schools, Kay Drew said of Moore, “Clarksville Academy is proud to call AnnaMichelle a Cougar and have her represent us at the state tournament.  As with any sport we wanted to show our support of her competition.  This was a unique way to do just that.”

AnnaMichelle was shocked to say the least and felt the whole thing was surreal.  “It was so cool to see all those birdies on the floor.  At first I didn’t know what was happening, it was such a surprise.  It’s nice knowing I have the support of my school.”

Head Varsity Golf Coach, Jake Peterson was thrilled with the addition of Moore to the Cougar team.  “I have watched AnnaMichelle over the past couple of years and her talent speaks for itself.  She has been an asset to our team.”  When Moore arrived in Manchester for the start of her competition, Peterson was there to guide her.  “Watching AnnaMichelle compete at the highest level of Tennessee High School Golf has been a lot of fun, not many students have this opportunity and she’s done it twice already!  Her competing at the state level for the second year in a row shows Moore’s drive, determination and love for the game.”

Moore and Peterson arrived in Manchester, TN on Sunday night and began the practice round at Willowbrook Course early Monday morning.  Tuesday’s competition got off to a late start due to fog delay.  After teeing off at 9:15 Moore went on to shoot an 82 for the day landing her at the number 10 spot.  Tuesday dawned the perfect fall day with a sunny forecast.  Moore pared the majority of her holes and even scored a Birdie on two holes.  She ended the day’s competition with a score of 79 with a plus 5 for the day.  Her overall 2-day score was 161 with a plus 17 total.  AnnaMichelle tied for 7^th place out of 52 other competitors.

Clarksville Academy is proud AnnaMichelle is one of our newest Cougars. At the end of her tournament play Moore was happy with how it all turned out, “I really appreciate all the support I have gotten from the student body and administration! It made this experience absolutely amazing! Everyone has made me feel very much at home!”.

Clarksville Academy is a Pre-K through 12 private school located in Clarksville, Tennessee.  Student enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year is currently at 563 students.  CA has a strong foundation in technology with its new 1:1 MacBook initiative for the 9^th-12^th grade.  Lower school students are immersed in enrichments, which include technology, Spanish language, art, music, science and daily physical education classes.  For more information on Clarksville Academy and it’s programs please visit www.clarksvilleacademy.com.

Clarksville Academy uses these results in accordance with the school’s mission statement to promote academic excellence.   To continually improve student achievement, Clarksville Academy places emphasis on areas including curriculum alignment, reading comprehension and higher order skills.  As shown in this year’s results, students at Clarksville Academy scored 5.1 points higher on average on their cumulative scores compared to the State scores and 4.3 points higher than Montgomery County public school students.  CA students also improved their scores in each of the four subject areas. The state scores increased by .1 of a point, making Tennessee rank second from the bottom in the nation, followed only by Mississippi.  CA students’ scores surpassed the nation’s leader, Massachusetts who averaged a 24.2 on the national test.

These improved scores are a result of the cooperative efforts of students and instructors.  Special attention is given to activities that promote higher order thinking and advanced reading comprehension.  Clarksville Academy is a PreK -12 private school with over 40years in Clarksville.

Choosing a replacement for former coach Josh Smith was not easy. “Coach Smith was an asset to our basketball program and took CA to new heights. I know Coach Wallace will continue that tradition.” Drew said in a statement Tuesday.

Wallace, a Clarksville native, graduated from Northeast High and went on to Cumberland University on a basketball scholarship. After two years playing for Cumberland, he completed his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from The University of Tennessee Knoxville. Wallace also has his Bachelor of Science in Management from Bethel University and his Master of Science in Management from Austin Peay State University. Wallace served as the Head Boys Basketball Coach for Fort Campbell High School in 2009. Wallace is married to Tara Sundstrom Wallace of Clarksville and they have two sons, Cooper and Colton.

When asked about this new adventure Wallace replied, “I am truly honored, and humbled at the opportunity to become the next Head Boys Basketball Coach at Clarksville Academy. I will work tirelessly to maintain the momentum that was created before me, and hopefully be a small part in many more championship seasons.”

Head of Schools, Kay Drew is looking forward to an exciting year with Coach Wallace at the helm. “For me there is no doubt that Matt Wallace is the right person to lead the Cougars basketball team. His personality, work ethic and dedication to CA will enhance this program in many ways.”

For more information on Clarksville Academy and its athletics, visit www.clarksvilleacademy.com.

“This was a tough decision for me to make and one I thought about a lot.  In the end it was best for my family for me to take a break from coaching.  I love CA and will continue to teach, but felt I needed a break from coaching.” stated Smith on Friday.  Smith was offered a contract for 2011-2012 to continue teaching US History, World History and Government and to return as Head Boys Basketball Coach.  On Friday, he asked that his contract be modified to teaching duties only.  Head of Schools Kay Drew, “I was surprised when Josh asked me to modify his contract.  He has taken our basketball program to new heights and has been a large part of Cougar history.  I am sad that he will no longer coach, but am delighted he will stay on as faculty.”  

Smith coached at Stewart County High prior to his time at CA.  In his six year career at CA, he has had 121 wins and just 61 losses.  He won District Coach of the Year the past three years, in 2009, 2010, and 2011.  Smith led the Cougars to their first state tournament in 2009, where they were defeated in the first round.  They were also District, Regional & Sectional Champions in 2009.  In 2010, the Cougars repeated their winning ’09 season gaining District, Regional & Sectional titles.  However, in 2010 the Cougars brought home the 10A State Basketball Champion trophy! In 2011 the team won District and Regional Championships.  Smith has also coached the two time winning, Class 10A Mr. Basketball, Malcolm Smith for the past four years as well as his brother, Martin, a 2011 Mr. Basketball finalist. 

 Athletic Director, Matt Wallace stated, “I was shocked when Ms. Drew notified me that Coach Smith has resigned his coaching position.  Josh was an asset to our athletic program and will be difficult to replace.”  Inquiries regarding this position should  be sent to Kay Drew via email, at kdrew@clarksvilleacademy.com.

 In preparation for this initiative, Clarksville Academy installed a new network infrastructure to include a cutting-edge campus wireless solution.  All faculty and staff will receive MacBook Pro laptops and training by certified Apple trainers. Cara Miller, Director of Technology, will oversee the faculty training as well as provide training and support for families. “We will host comprehensive training sessions throughout the summer for all faculty and staff, and host iLearn Orientations for students and their parents. These training sessions will make for a smooth transition into the use of these new educational tools both in and out of our classrooms.”  

Head of Schools, Kay Drew’s thoughts on the digital dawn at CA, “It is extremely important that today’s students think strategically and creatively. They must be challenged to take ownership of their learning and problem-solving. The goal of this classroom model is to allow students to develop their own creative content, think critically, and reflect on all the possibilities in response to curriculum aims.”

 Clarksville Academy’s decision to embrace the 1-to-1 model will position the school amongst the nation’s leading Digital Learning Environments at the pre-college level. CA is the only private school in northern Tennessee or southern Kentucky to integrate this type of digital project-based learning.  Students will be encouraged to explore and investigate in their environment while working collaboratively with peers and teammates. This type of cooperative learning will also expose students to the ethics of responsible digital citizenship.

Clarksville Academy will not leave their younger scholars behind either. Pre-Kindergarten through 8^th grades will have access to a new Apple iMac lab.  The state-of-the-art lab will feature 25 workstations and allow students to experience technology enrichment twice weekly. Intermediate School technology enrichment will be infused throughout the curriculum along with intensive 6-week training in the Apple iMac lab.   Although Clarksville Academy is surging into this new generation of education, they are quick to stress the importance of maintaining affordable tuition to provide one of the best values amongst Tennessee’s excellent schools. Tuition will not increase across the board for this program, but each 9-12^th grade student will pay an additional fee.  As families begin their back-to-school shopping this fall, Clarksville Academy’s school supply list will look a little different. Rather than budgeting for binders, paper, and pencils, students will focus on flash drives, apps and e-learning resources.  The announcement of the Apple contract has Mrs. Drew excited about the possibilities this provides for the Clarksville Academy. “This new merger will enable our students to live and learn in a global community.  We see this as a learning initiative not a technology initiative. The infusion of technology opens so many doors. Concepts such as digital textbooks, iTunesU, and 24-7 learning are only the beginning for our students.” 

 Come see. Come celebrate. iLearn has arrived at Clarksville Academy.

For more information on Clarksville Academy and its curriculum visit, www.clarksvilleacademy.com.

Check us out in online news articles…

http://www.clarksvillenow.com/Clarksville-Academy-Announces-1-to-1-Program-with-/9654437

 http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20110419/NEWS01/110419002/Clarksville-Academy-announces-Apple-computer-program-?odyssey=tab

In preparation for this initiative, Clarksville Academy installed a new network infrastructure to include a cutting-edge campus wireless solution. All faculty and staff will receive MacBook Pro laptops and training by certified Apple trainers. Cara Miller, Director of Technology, will oversee the faculty training as well as provide training and support for families. “We will host comprehensive training sessions throughout the summer for all faculty and staff, and host iLearn Orientations for students and their parents. These training sessions will make for a smooth transition into the use of these new educational tools both in and out of our classrooms.”
Head of Schools, Kay Drew’s thoughts on the digital dawn at CA, “It is extremely important that today’s students think strategically and creatively. They must be challenged to take ownership of their learning and problem-solving. The goal of this classroom model is to allow students to develop their own creative content, think critically, and reflect on all the possibilities in response to curriculum aims.”

Clarksville Academy’s decision to embrace the 1-to-1 model will position the school amongst the nation’s leading Digital Learning Environments at the pre-college level. CA is the only private school in northern Tennessee or southern Kentucky to integrate this type of digital project-based learning. Students will be encouraged to explore and investigate in their environment while working collaboratively with peers and teammates. This type of cooperative learning will also expose students to the ethics of responsible digital citizenship.

Clarksville Academy will not leave their younger scholars behind either. Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grades will have access to a new Apple iMac lab. The state-of-the-art lab will feature 25 workstations and allow students to experience technology enrichment twice weekly. Intermediate School technology enrichment will be infused throughout the curriculum along with intensive 6-week training in the Apple iMac lab.

Although Clarksville Academy is surging into this new generation of education, they are quick to stress the importance of maintaining affordable tuition to provide one of the best values amongst Tennessee’s excellent schools. Tuition will not increase across the board for this program, but each 9-12th grade student will pay an additional fee. As families begin their back-to-school shopping this fall, Clarksville Academy’s school supply list will look a little different. Rather than budgeting for binders, paper, and pencils, students will focus on flash drives, apps and e-learning resources.

The announcement of the Apple contract has Mrs. Drew excited about the possibilities this provides for the Clarksville Academy. “This new merger will enable our students to live and learn in a global community. We see this as a learning initiative not a technology initiative. The infusion of technology opens so many doors. Concepts such as digital textbooks, iTunesU, and 24-7 learning are only the beginning for our students.”

Come see. Come celebrate. iLearn has arrived at Clarksville Academy.
For more information on Clarksville Academy and its curriculum visit, www.clarksvilleacademy.com.

What could get a middle school athlete to wear a pink shirt onto the playing field?

A cause that’s bigger than baseball.

Baseball teams the Richview Cowboys and Clarksville Academy Cougars will don pink jersies for the Pink Game, set for 2 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at Clarksville High School baseball field. The game aims to be flamboyant, and to use that attention to raise money for breast cancer research.

“Wearing pink is a brave and bold step for middle school boys!” said Greg Smith, who organized Clarksville’s first Pink Game and plans to make it an annual event. “Even the umpires, who are often referred to as ‘Blue’ by baseball players and coaches because of the shirt color they usually wear, will be in pink for this game.”

Smith has generated a swell of support for the effort, including that of local celebrity Cydney Miller, who was Mrs. Tennessee International 2010 and Mrs. Tennessee America 2008. Miller has lost several relatives to cancer, and her mother, Janet Sizeler, was diagnosed with colon cancer nine years ago and is now fighting lung cancer. Miller uses the audience she gains through public appearances to promote the power of early detection and prevention of cancer.

“By embracing that message, we honor the heroes who fought before us and can keep those who follow from ever having to fight,” Miller writes at The Road to the Cure, www.theroadtothecure.com.

Miller will speak to attendees at Sunday’s game about the ways cancer has impacted her family.

Community support

Many others have donated their talents leading up to the moment “Play ball!” is called on Sunday. Clarksville Sporting Goods created the unique pink jersies the players will wear.

“Ronnie Page, from Clarksville Sporting Goods, is also printing up 100 pink T-shirts that will have both teams’ logo and a statement to commemorate this first Pink Game,” Smith said.

T-shirts will be sold at the game for $10, and Page will donate all proceeds to breast cancer research. Umpires Pat Neal and Brian Cobb are donating their services to the game. The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory provided a pink bat for the game.

“Players from both teams will autograph the bat and it will be donated to the Sports Hall section” of Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, Smith said. “Once the game is over, Richview players will give their pink game hats to middle school students that attend the game to thank their fans for supporting the Cowboys’ effort to defeat cancer.”

The survivors

For many involved, the cause is personal.

Pat Pennington, a Richview Middle School science teacher and breast cancer survivor, will throw out the first pitch.

“I never thought it would happen to me,” Pennington said about her breast cancer diagnosis. “We don’t have any cancer in our family at all.”

During her cancer treatments, Pennington was concerned how her students would feel about having a bald teacher. She wore baseball caps to school that said, “Life is Good,” and the kindness she received from her students proved the truth of the sentiment. Pennington finished chemotherapy in October 2009 and had her last surgery in December 2010. She has cancer treatments to thank for being alive and well to spend her spring break playing with first grandchild, 4-month-old Ruger Ace Pennington. And she was thrilled to go back to the classroom this week, surrounded by colleagues who have offered her so much support. Pennington is touched by all the boys who will show their concern so publicly on Sunday.

“I appreciate what they’re doing. I was amazed that they did it to begin with, to wear the pink. You know how boys are!” she said. “It’s good for them to reach out past themselves. They’re such good kids.”

Cancer touches all

Some of the young athletes involved have felt cancer’s pain firsthand, like Blake Atkins, who lost his father to cancer. John Austin Peay, a Cougar ball player, and Nolen Milton, a Cowboy, will play against each other on Sunday. But each lost his grandmother to the illness.

Both Todd Schmittou, coach for Clarksville Academy, and Rod Streeter, coach for Richview, said they are honored to be involved with the Pink Game, and proud of their middle school athletes’ dedication to the cause.

“Cancer affects people of all ages and whether it has touched your family directly or indirectly,” Streeter said in a release. “It is awesome that our kids can use something they love, such as baseball, to raise money and awareness to fight this terrible disease.”

Admission to the game is free, and donations will be collected for breast cancer research. Supporters are encouraged to wear pink. Anyone who wears pink to Sunday’s game will be rewarded with pink lemonade.

“I hear about the work that is being done in cancer research and I believe that we are getting closer to finding a cure,” Pennington said. “These students make me proud for stepping up in the fight against cancer. What a great example to us all.”

Stacy Leiser, 245-6720
Features reporter
stacyleiser@theleafchronicle.com

As seen in the Leaf  Chronicle on March 30,2010 and on:

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011103300303